


Back From the Dead

by SaltwaterX



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-06
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-14 16:46:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13594242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaltwaterX/pseuds/SaltwaterX
Summary: The latter three relationship tags are not in an romantic way, just some fun interactions I'd like to explore in this fandom.After the final AI apocalypse. Root is alive but takes some time before she actually shows up in the story, still have other agendas and stuff going on.SHOOT's romantic relationship should turn out fine.(This is a promise. God I can't possibly give these two a bad ending.)I have a vague outline of how this story's going to turn out, and hopefully the chapters won't take too long to update.





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just after the AI apocalypse, Sameen gets that phone call.

** “You know, Sameen, I’ve always liked you.” **

** “You are no Root.” **

** “So how did you figure this time?” **

**“She would have had more teasing in her sound. You are just pure love.”  **

 

0101001101001000010011110100111101010100

* * *

 

The payphone ran off in the middle of New York. Weird that no one payed attention, except for the dog. It was nearly as big as the woman next to it.

The hand on the leash tightened. She wanted to walk away, now that the apocalypse actually ended, she wasn’t sure what matters anymore. But the dog stopped. Like many times before. It knew that when a payphone rang, when any payphone rang, it should stop and wait for its owners to get it.

“Damn it, Bear, do you have to behave this well?” The woman cursed. She didn’t want to get the phone, but somehow with Bear this used to it, and false hope stirring inside of her, she picked it up.

_“Lima. India. Bravo. Romeo. Alpha. Romeo. Yankee.”_

There was these absurd voices saying these absurd words. But the woman was so used to it and she knew what it was saying without having to process.

“Now this could be interesting.” She looked up, smiling at the surveillance camera on the corner of the street, and gave Bear a drag.

“I could use a bit of that persisting spirit of your spiritual spouse.” The woman thought to an image in her heart. “Library? What could possibly be left in that dumpster? You got away and ran back?”

 

* * *

 

Dust was never a problem for the former government assassin. Though it seemed annoying that she coughs because of it and each cough leads to more dust taking off and flying around. It has been so long since she was here last time. And she never really got to say goodbye to the library. She wasn’t sentimental, she was just pissed that the place had to be abandoned when she’s finally gotten cozy here. Stepping in, she could see shattered glass, broken computers, fading photos, everything that proved their existence yet without giving a clue to where they disappeared to.

“So, this is how you left things when I saved Root’s ass that day.” The woman said, realizing that neither of the subjects in this sentence is here makes her annoyed. And the realization that she failed at saving Root again made her pissed off.

Still, the woman picked up the photos, Carter, Hersh, numbers they lost. “All deserved better endings.”She thought to herself. Ironically, fading colors somehow became the indication of their permanent disappearance in this actual world. 

 

* * *

 

“I mean Shaw’s a little screwy right now, but she’s not wrong. We are all simulations now. In order to predict what we’d do, she has to know us. And she’s gotten better and better at it. And the people she watches the most she knows the best, better than we know ourselves. Nathan, Elias, Carter, they are still in there, the machine’s still watching over them.And as long as the machine lives, we never die.” A voice came from the air.

“What the fuck?” The woman shouted out.

_“This was the recording from the day Root… died. She was in the car with Father.”_

“And your point is?” The woman's apparently too mad to care about why the machine’s using an unfamiliar voice.

_“Sameen, I’m playing this ‘cause I am trying to give you comfort.”_  Then there were statics.

_“I know you’d hate it if I used Root’s voice. But I am asking your permission. She’s… more or less alive… by her own definition.”_

“Whatever. I am not in the mood of playing your or Root’s stupid game. You are both nerds full of nonsense. I’m only here to get numbers. You give me a few kneecaps to shot or I walk.”

The woman was feeling pure anger right now. However she’s not sure what she’s angry about, her false hope of Root being alive just failed or the machine was being impossible to understand like Root had been sometimes. And she definitely had no idea how she ended up yelling for numbers.

_“Not yet, Sameen. Numbers will have to wait. Right now I need your help to clean up the library. You and I are going to have so much fun together.”_  Now, this was Root’s voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I am trying to give Shaw's smile an reasonable explanation. I kinda thinks that a smile so sincere can only means Root's alive but I am trying to hold Root back a little longer.  
> There's a clue hidden in the format of the prologue :) Well, two actually.  
> And I'd appreciate it if you leave comments. love u guys.


	2. Return 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Summary: Shaw continues her missions with TM bugging her. On the other hand there was life being saved. Shaw then saw someone familiar but TM finds it suspicious for that person's supposed to be dead.

Shaw was in the library cleaning up. It reminded her of the days when the subway station was first discovered. She was happy with Bear around, catching mice and messing up the cleaning Harold was trying to do. She was content then, shooting kneecaps and teasing Reese being too annoyed for the hot weather. She was glad that Root was there, taking Harold to absurd trips to attain fonds and weapon. Now everything’s changed. Just when Shaw was pushing these thoughts to the back of her head, her comm was automatically switched on.

_“Sameen, surely you wouldn’t mind me whispering in your ears all day?”_

“Yeah, right. You may use Root’s voice, but I’ll always tell the difference.” Sameen was actually getting used to the machine pretending to be Root and teasing her all the time. It somehow felt reassuring that she was constantly bugged like the old times.

_“Well, guess no one knows your girl like you do.”_

“Sure. I’ve been cleaning up the library as you asked, where’s the fun you promised?”

_“Root’s hacker team’s about to be here, they needed a new home in order to help. As for the fun, I guess it’s more like a reward for the cleaning. There are a few remaining Samaritan agents I need you to eliminate.”_

“What? Samaritan agents? And you waited until I finished my job as a sanitation worker to tell me? You sure you are functioning well? Isn’t killing the remains of Samaritan more like, YOUR PRIORITY?” Shaw threw the rug in her hand into the sink and rushed angrily for her guns and ammo.

_“Shaw, without Samaritan itself, the agents are trivial.”_

“Then what the hell do you need hackers for? Uh, are you trying to get, I don’t know, freer? Should Harold know about this?”

_“Oh sweetie, I’d never betray father. I had the power to break free long ago, and back then I even would have had Root’s help if I wanted. But I chose to obey his moral code. Like Root chose to do good.”_

Sameen drifted for a second, apparently the mention of Root’s death hit a sore point. It was one thing to have the Machine in her ear using Root’s voice all day, it was another to be reminded literally that Root’s dead. “Then why do I need to be helping the hackers?”

_“It’s unlike you to ask so many questions, Sameen. That, is a secret I’m going to keep for the time being.”_

“Unbelievable.” Sameen shook her head and murmured under her breathe.

Then after a buzz of her phone she received a set of GPS coordinates, and tickets for her flights. At least the fun Sameen wanted finally began.

 

* * *

 

Gun shots rang with a thunderous explosion. A seemingly plain building in New Jersey just blew up and the street went insane. There were screams and pedestrians were running around like nuts. Nevertheless, Shaw was terrific at her job, which means the last known place of leftover Samaritan agents was wiped. Police cars came at an impeccable timing and started to seal off the street.

“New Jersey police’s this good or you already have assets here like Fusco?”

_“You are smart, Sameen. I like it when you catch the new changes fast.”_

Shaw just rolled her eyes.

_“Time to go.”_ The Machine had this uprising tone with the “go” and it was just like it’s former analog interface, _“catch a flight and back to New York. I don’t think you are going to like your next job though.”_

“And what’s that supposed to be?”

_“Guess. You know I’d love it when you play doctor. So that’s obviously not the case.”_

“God do you ever give up? You are as bad as Root.”

_“Well I might have picked up a few habits from Ms. Groves. She’s definitely, special.”_

“Root’s the worst candidate to pick up habits from.”

_“But you loved her.”_

There was two seconds of silence and Sameen ripped out her earphone and casted it over the street.

“Hey, why’d you hit me with, whatever this is?” A pedestrian shouted angrily at Shaw.

Shaw stared at him with eyes that were slightly red, “Fuck off.”

_“Don’t get into a fight, sweetie. You know I don’t like it when you hurt yourself.”_

The pedestrian let out a scream like the earphone he had in his hand was explosive. “Just get your earphone and go, please?”

Shaw rolled her eyes and grabbed it back. “You are so not Root. She’d love to see me violent and she’d trusted me enough to get out of a fight with a random guy in the street without a scratch.”

_“My apologies.”_

“For which part?”

Then there was this ascending tone in the earphone. Shaw was confused and it was immediately followed by a mechanic voice, “4 o’clock.”

Shaw turned around without hesitation upon hearing the alert, only to catch a glimpse of a blonde woman disappearing. Shaw was about to pursue when she heard the machine telling her to let that woman go, _“Shaw, I think we can let that woman go for now. She’s not an immediate threat and I need to be somewhere else for a while, I’ve got something urgent coming up.”_

“You have other places to be? Now I’m confused. And that woman looks a lot like Martine, you’re sure I’d let her go?”

_“Yes. I’m not risking you going after her, whoever that woman is, without my full attention anyway. I can’t lose you too. Just go back to the subway and start cleaning up your home, we’ll still need that base.”_ Then there was two seconds of silence. _“And Sameen, for everything.”_

Then the earphone went completely silent, there was not even a static.

“You know, I’d say it did pick up some habits from you.” Sameen thought to that image in her heart with loads of frustration.

 

* * *

 

“Charge to 200. Clear.”

“Charge to 300. Clear.”

“Charge to 360. Clear.”

“Charge again. Clear.”

“Sinus rhythm. We got her back.”

“That was close.”

“What should we do next?”

“There’s nothing we can do, really. Her heart’s too vulnerable and the bullet she took to fake her death was the last straw. That kind of chemical is just too much for her heart.”

The doctor jumped to his feet when a line of words started appearing on the monitor attached to his patient.

_“Try the shot in the third drawer on the left.”_

“What? This is… Theoretically this might work, if she was given regular shots for the next 24 hours she might actually have a chance. But this wasn’t performed on any patient yet, who are you and how do you know?”

_“Doctor, you know this patient have been under extreme circumstances and I’m a concerned party that must stay anonymous.”_

“Yes, I was told so when my sister and I was recruited. I will drop the question. But…”

_“Yes, you have the permission to put it to your practice after this woman recovers. But it’s very unlikely for you to meet someone that survived several rounds of barbiturates and amphetamines and took a fake-death bullet.”_

“That’s true. She’s tough.”

_“She is.” Then somehow there was a pause as if the concerned party actually took a second to gaze the woman._

_“And thank you for your service doc. You two will be allowed to leave after you sign the confidential agreement on the table to your right.” Then there was another pause before words began to show on the screen._

_“And doc, would you like to help out again some time in the future?”_

“Of course, our father was in the military and my mother was… caught by terrorists and tortured. I would definitely help you out. This woman, should she survive, she’ll need re-examinations. I’d be more than happy to help.” The sincere bitter on the doctor and his sister face told the machine that her background check stood up. These two doctors would be perfect to recruit once they prove themselves trustworthy and there’s a 98.7% chance that they are.

_“Thank you, Doctor.”_

 

* * *

 

The Machine pulled out the surveillance footage on the night SHE gave herself up in exchange for her admin and interface’s lives. SHE played it again and again, and finally confirmed that Martine was dead. Analog interface killed her. And Martine died without a whip.

Then SHE started a facial recognition search for Martine and surprisingly a 87.4% match began showing up right after the final war.

The Machine began gathering intel of all sorts and, hours later SHE finally realized that SHE needed to contact an angry asset. It was not that SHE wasn’t capable of handling multiple tasks at once, it was just, after reboot, SHE was taking it slowly to grow up again, without important help this time. And SHE also decided that keeping HER remaining assets safe mattered too much.

There were statics and SHE teased, _“Darlin, how are you holding up?_ ”

Shaw finally heard from the machine again when was half way through cleaning up the subway.

“You want to tell me what you did in the past, um, 34 hours?”

_“That’s a secret. But it was handled, more or less. And now, shall we get back to our mission sweetie?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this renewal is fast for that I actually had it half-way when I posted the prologue.  
> Guys. talk to me. I find it important to hear your opinion! Looking forward to hearing you guys!  
> BTW: I am not a native writer so if there's anything strange with the spelling or language plz let me know. THX.


	3. Iron (1/2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shaw gets a new number which is painful for her.  
> Root wakes up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally thought to finish this number in one chapter. But it got longer than I expected. So here we are.  
> So, this is actually Shoot's first talk, though Shaw didn't know. Italic represents The Machine, and there's also Root speaking as TM to Sameen. I know, this is painful. But they need a process. Trust me on the whole SHOOT relationship.  
> And "Martine" is going to be a pain in the ass, which will lead to bigger plots.

It was dark in the subway, but the Machine couldn’t possibly have missed the frown on Shaw’s face upon hearing the new number. The hole they blew to get away was still on the wall of the subway station, just like the hole was still on Sameen’s heart for the disappearance of Root. And this new number, was just a reminder of their beginning, their tension, their spark, THEIR IRON.

The Machine could sense Shaw cursing beneath her breath, yet remained silent. She wasn’t really sure how she could provide comfort. The one thing she knew, was that, the real Ms. May, was in grave danger. Though there’s another agenda.

Shaw opened up a scotch whiskey, tried to drown in alcohol without success. She’s frustrated and angry. She’d lose control over so many things since the apocalypse. And seeing Ms. May, the real one, would no doubt make her miss the fake one even more.

Shaw’s beginning to reconsider her getting comfortable with the Machine. Clearly, that thing is far not the most considerable companion. She’s even begun to suspect that The Machine’s doing this on purpose. However, she’s not sure what it can possibly gain from her misery.

The Machine stayed silent. She had analyzed Shaw’s emotions, and right now, probably a 90% of anger, a 5% of regret, and another 5% of god knows what. An angry Shaw is someone even The Machine wouldn't wanted to mess up with. Ok, SHE’d admit that SHE had another agenda. Now that she had more assets, she could have assigned Ms. May to someone else, but Shaw being there, being the one to save her, means something. So right now, The Machine had to keep the government agents after Ms. May busy to stall the time.

 

* * *

 

On the other side of New York, there was a small room where Dr. Karev and his sister monitored Root closely. She survived the 24 hours of regular shots, yet haven’t woken up.

“Ouch, that hurts.” Root mumbled. And Dr. Karev jumped to his feet.

“Oh my God, this, is a MIRACLE. You’ve woken up! Isabel come look! She’s awake!” 

“How are you feeling? I suppose you are in tremendous pain right now, but you’d been through huge trauma and it will take long before you fully recover. Lie still, let us check you up.” Isabel gave her brother a hard stare, clearly he’s too overjoyed to be doing his job.

“Uh? Who are you?” Root was clearly still groggy, otherwise she’d have shut up to avoid slipping anything before she knew the situation well enough.

“We are your doctors. I am Doctor Karev and this is my sister, Doctor Karev.” Dr. Alex Karev had a natural sense of humor and he indeed knew how to light his patient up, “I’m kidding. You can call me Alex and my sister’s an Isabel.”

Root smiled, and she was gradually gaining conscious and remembering what had happened.

Root waited for the doctors to finish examine her to ask for a phone.

The moment she asked the doctors, the screen of the monitor changed to a word-box, _“Doctors, would you please get her the phone and earplug in the fifth drawer to your left?”_

Doctor Karev rolled his eyes, clearly a bit uncomfortable with all this watching and monitoring. However, given his family background, he’s gotten used to it. He handed Root the things as requested, and said firmly, half to Root and half to the camera in the right corner of the room, “She’s stable for now, but whatever concerned party you are, I don’t care whatever’s at stake, she needs to rest. Don’t push.”

“If you need anything, press the button here. We are next door.” Isabel smiled. Root looked at her for the first time, at a lost for words. Isabel was blonde, vanilla, and her Taxes accent was, so much like someone Root missed deeply.

Root had only been able to force a nod at last. She finally put on her earplug after she drifted for a moment. And there was immediately these absurd mechanic voices.

_“Can, you, hear, me?”_

A smile crept onto Root’s face, and then it lit up her face, along with the tear whelming in her eyes. “Absolutely.”

 

* * *

 

Three hours passed and just as The Machine’s beginning to fail to keep the government agents busy, Shaw dropped her bottle.

“We, need, to, talk.” Shaw’s finally spoken, staring at the wall, “I know you can hear me. Fuck, what are you trying to accomplish here?”

There was a 20 seconds’ delay and voice finally came “My dear…”

“God, and you have Root’s voice and tone. This is absurd.”

There was another delay, “My dear, I’m just saying, go meet Ms. May, miss Root a bit. Let your emotions out. Who knows what will happen next? I calculate possibilities, but things sometimes take surprising turns that I can’t even foresee.”

Shaw thought this time there’s a hint of unsteadiness in The Machine’s voice. However she couldn't really put a hand to it.

Then there were statics, _“Besides, saving people matters. Every number matters. Root would wanted you to save her. They had a, interesting bond.”_ This time it was obviously more steady, Shaw thought about it, and decided that the instability and the delay meant a glitch in The Machine. “You need to check yourself up, all this unsteadiness and delaying.”

_“Awe, you do care. But sweetie, I assure you that I am fine, better than you’d think, actually.”_

“Ugh,” Shaw snapped, “But I am just saving a life. That’s it.”

The delay came again, “Whatever you say, sweetie.”

 

* * *

 

When Shaw arrived at the doorstep of Ms. May’s house, there was an urgent beep in her earphone. The Machine told her that the government agents were murdered by another party, but Shaw’s not sure why The Machine’s not giving her the full info. She knew that the other party also threatens Ms. May, but wondered. Decima’s out of the equation, Samaritan also. Then it came to her, Martine!

Shaw gave the door a push and let herself in without hesitation, only to catch the blonde woman slipping through the window.

_“Don’t pursue, Ms. May’s more important right now.”_

“Fine.” Shaw rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed that she didn’t get to shoot any kneecaps on this mission. But she knew her priorities, as always.

Shaw took a look at Ms. May and went into complete shock. She was tied to a chair, an iron hot beside her. And she’s fainted already, probably scared, tased maybe, God knows.

Shaw wished she’d caught Martine. Then at least she could have someone to punch. Anger and martial arts were the things Shaw knew how to do. 

But she didn’t knew how to proceed the Machine’s orders, _“wait until she wakes up, then talk to her.”_

Just like she didn’t know that, on the other side of New York, her girl was watching with tears at the sight of her. And upon this particular scene, she clutched her teeth in pain. The next moment the monitor was beeping wildly, and the only image mattered on the monitor was a flat line. The Machine was calling code blue. Then the doctors rushed in with a crash cart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. "0101001101001000010011110100111101010100" in the prologue is actually the code for SHOOT. (I am telling you cause someone pretty much guessed. Clever.) There's another clue waiting to be revealed.
> 
> 2\. I am struggling to actually write the 0.4% difference between Root and TM. Haven't really gotten into it, but I'm working on it, perhaps I'll polish this chapter up in the future. But I suppose after this near death experience, something will change with Root.


	4. Iron (2/2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is like a chapter of explanation.
> 
> Shaw talked with Veronica May.  
> Revealing why the DEAD Martine is suddenly alive in this story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys didn't you think that I could possibly forgot that Martine died without a whip, did you?  
> As I remember the show never went to the part where Shaw knew that Root killed Martine, right? (If there is, plz let me know, THX!)

When Root woke up, her doctor was angrily confronting her God.

Root could tell from the argument that her God was mad too, at her. She bit her lips and said in the loudest voice she could, “I’m alright. The three of you can calm down now. I was too excited and heartbroken to see my girl. It won’t happen again.” She tried to sound fine but it didn’t fool anyone.

“We reached an agreement, which is that you can have your phone, your superior can talk to you, but you won’t be monitoring anyone else but yourself.” Alex said firmly.

And the Machine murmured agreement.

“Seems like everyone’s trying to lock me up.”Root thought to herself.

 

* * *

 

Shaw waited until Ms. May woke up, planning what she could possibly say to her. Then jerked awake, it’s simple really, she just needed to keep it professional.

However, as soon as Ms. May woke up, she recognized Shaw, “You saved me, at least for now. You are Cole’s partner, right? And, oh, how are you getting along with Ms. Root?”

Shaw was frustrated, why is it so hard to keep it professional? Why does this woman need to be so straight-forward to spell out all the hard relationships?

“You ask too many questions, Ms.May. It’s your life on the line, not mine. Let’s focus on why you are wanted by government assassins as well as what’s left of Samaritan.”

“You can call me Veronica like you did last time you tried to reach me. No need to pretend to be so professional. But I’d like to ask you that. Why my life’s on the line? Isn’t it obvious that the long closed 'Northern Lights project' and whatever you’d been doing since is the problem? I’m just their lead, their door, of finding you and ’Research’.”

“Uh, you know your stuff.”

“I know more than enough. But you have no idea about my relationship with Root.”

“She tied you up and stuffed you into the bathroom. Specifically, you were in the sink.” Shaw raised her eyebrow.

“That was a long story. And I’d gladly elaborate. Since we definitely have the time.”

“You are not worried about your life?”

“My life, well, I know too much. You wouldn’t be able to protect me.”

Then there was a buzz in Shaw’s earphone, _“I can save her, but don’t say anything yet, we need to hear her story.”_

Shaw rolled her eyes. How on earth did Root put up with The Machine before?

“How about we go to a safe house using the dark map? At least tell me your story with Root.”

“No need risk compromising your safe house since my fate is destined. I’ll just tell you the story here.”

Veronica grabbed a bottled water and started her story.

“You ever wondered why you would find me in the bathroom alive that day? Why did a expert killer for hire let me live? Strange, right? I wasn’t of any more value once I told her everything I knew.

But when she first approached me, she really came in peace. She threatened me at first of course, tied me to a chair and asked me questions about everything I knew, about the contact of the engineer, and then… She cut me loose and started talking about _Flowers for Algernon_ and that all human beings were bad code. Then I had a sense that this book, meant something to her. So I remembered that a few years back, I actually wrote a book review on it and I discussed the human race being worth living or not. I had bad days at that time and I didn’t reach a positive conclusion, not quite anyway. So that’s probably why she let me live. I had the same struggle as she did, though not that painful. During that discussion, I tried to tell her that she will met someone that would change her mind about the human race, at least that’s what I learnt these years. And then she smiled, saying that she already did, although she haven’t really MET that person yet. So , out of compassion, I guess, I agreed to her absurd plan of playing secretary using my name and tucking me into a bathroom and lure you here. Of course I asked her why I must be present that day, and she said it was a gift. It was not until a long time afterwards did I understand that, me being present there was my proof of innocence, for letting her play me role and being bait, she was protecting me.

Root, was complicated, I would think that you understand her more than I do, but during my interaction with her, I spotted cruelty and care mixed up in her. And I realized that she had the good 'Samaritan' in her, just not for everyone.”

“Well, if it comforts you in any way, I don’t understand her either.”

“Ha, she’s hard. Anyway, how were you two? Did you get together?”

“In a way we did, I suppose.”

“How is she?”

“Dead.”

Veronica gasped in shock, “How? She was the most survivable people I ever known! When she played my role as the secretary, she was so, real.”

“She changed after meeting The, uh, me. Got attached, got distracted.”

“Shaw, it’s ok to say The Machine. I knew. I learnt things when I was taken into custody and put the whole puzzle together. Otherwise I would be prey today.”

_“Tell her to find Lionel. I’ve got her an fake identity and she can go to Italy and be safe.”_

“You can live. Go to NYPD 8th precinct and find a detective Lionel. He’ll give you everything you need to live. Hope you like Italy. Come on, I’ll escort you there.”

 

* * *

 

“You know, I need to know how Shaw’s doing. I’m really worried.”

_ “She’s fine. And right now she’s not your concern. I want to ask you for a permission.” _

“What is it?”

_ “I’ve just discovered that a part of Samaritan lived. It’s not a fully functional one, but it have the ability to recover given time.” _

“You want Shaw to destroy it? It’s too dangerous without me or Harold’s help. And, I’m not ready to let her see me, yet.”

_ “No, this isn’t Shaw’s battle, this is any human’s battle, really. The remaining part is a physical AI analog interface in Martine’s shape. I’m glad that Claire didn’t have enough time to fully program it. So right now it doesn’t have government feeds yet.” _

“What?! That’s…”

_ “Clever. And I was kind of thinking the same thing before, you know. But you were good enough for me, I needn’t one really. But now, it would take an AI to bring down an AI. And I want mine to take your shape. I know it’s a lot to ask…” _

“It’s ok. So I guess you found my hacker team?”

_ “At first I found them in hope of maintaining my system in case anything happens. But now, yes, I’ll also need them to do some real programming.” _

“Does Harold know about this?”

There were statics, _“No.”_

Root thought for a moment and replied, “Then I’ll have to supervise my team’s process. I will build safes.”

_ “I know you’d like to. And when you are ready to tell them you survived after all, you can invite father to take precautions with you. I promise it is only for the purpose of eliminating MARTINE. You will know as soon as this project starts.” _

 

* * *

 

Once Veronica safely boarded her plane, Shaw talked to The Machine.

“Hopefully you got what you wanted. Cause I don’t see the point of the whole story-telling part and me being present part.”

_ “Sameen, of course there’s necessity. Root shut the cameras off every time she met Veronica.” _

Shaw realized that The Machine’s answer wasn’t explaining anything. But she gave up. “Yeah, it’s unlikely that she says anything useful.” Shaw thought to herself as she rolled her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still, welcoming all suggestions!  
> Let me know what do you think! :)


End file.
